the city continued to attract new businesses . with es ##cap ##ism becoming popular in the culture during the depth of the depression , the s . h . k ##ress & co . building , built to " provide luxury to the common man , " opened in downtown meridian , as did the temple theater , which was used as a movie house . the federal courthouse was built in 1933 as a w ##pa project . after a brief slow ##down of the economy at the end of the depression , the country entered world war ii , which renewed the importance of railroads . the rails were essential to transport gasoline and scrap metal to build military vehicles , so meridian became the region
the city continued to attract new businesses. with escapism becoming popular in the culture during the depth of the depression, the s. h. kress & co. building, built to " provide luxury to the common man, " opened in downtown meridian, as did the temple theater, which was used as a movie house. the federal courthouse was built in 1933 as a wpa project. after a brief slowdown of the economy at the end of the depression, the country entered world war ii, which renewed the importance of railroads. the rails were essential to transport gasoline and scrap metal to build military vehicles, so meridian became the region